Abstract
The monograph is the first original Czech publication dealing in such depth and extension with one of the most prominent personalities of early Christianity, Paul of Tarsus. This highly educated diaspora Jew became, after meeting the resurrected Lord, the most enthusiastic preacher of the Gospel.
Thanks to his engagement and his abilities the new faith became established in the pagan surroundings. The book presents the reality of the Hellenistic world and follows Paul's Jewish education and his world view before conversion; it is attempting to reconstruct the chronology of his life, dealing with Pauls mission activities, presenting the analysis of his literary activity and of the basic topics of his theology.
In general the book shows the problems the communities and the individual Christians were facing and how Paul reacted to them and what theological solutions he was offering. Trying to present the most complete synthetic image of Paul's personality as possible, the author does not avoid even problematic topics and unclear questions.
Special attention is paid to Paul's views of the family and the problems of sexual life. The publication includes the necessary scientific documentation and an excursion of the Hebraist Sylva Ondrejíčková discussing the rules of Jewish exegesis and Paul's relation to the Law.
The book is written not only for biblical scholars and specialists in the early Church history, but also for a wider specialized public and for all those interested in the questions of the beginning of Christianity.